Latest in Cable Ratings

Here are the top cable networks of 2013 in total viewers and adults 18-49, based on Nielsen Media Research data: Network: Total Viewers (in millions), % change from 2012 1. USA: 2.680, -8% 2. Disney: 2.438, -2% 3. ESPN: 2.210, -6% 4. History: 2.114, -2% 5. TNT: 2.070, -5% 6. TBS: 2.014, -3% 7. Fox News: 1.785, -13% 8…

YEARENDER: There was little change at the top of the primetime basic cable rankings for 2011, with USA finishing the year as No. 1 in total viewers and adults 18-49 for a sixth consecutive time on the strength of its original series. The cable network added another hit to its original slate this year with rookie Suit…

Kurt Sutter, the colorful and occasionally churlish creator of the FX biker smash Sons Of Anarchy that wrapped its fourth and most successful campaign last night, is optimistic that his show will see a seventh season. Or more. SOA already has been renewed for a fifth season of 13 episodes. He said during a conference…

Here’s some more anti-Nielsen fodder for Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman today at his UBS Global Media & Communications Conference appearance: The TV ratings company is admitting that it made a mistake when estimating the number of kids who are watching TV compared with last year. Though not directly related to Dauman’s…

The latest Disney Channel original movie, Good Luck Charlie: It’s Christmas, an offshoot of the network’s hit sitcom, premiered with 6.9 million total viewers last night. It dethroned Lifetime’s The Craiglist Killer as the most-watched live-action cable movie of 2011. Good Luck Charlie also delivered 3.3 million kids…

While broadcast series suffered across-the-board ratings declines last night, some of their cable brethren were sizzling. AMC’s The Walking Dead wrapped its fall run with 6.6 million viewers — a whopping 4.5 million of them in the adults 18-49 demographic (that’s more than the 3.9 million adults 25-54 who watched the…

UPDATED: While other networks filled the Thanksgiving holiday with repeats and specials, TBS opted to launch a new scripted series on Black Friday. For most shows that would spell gloom and doom, but not if the series has Tyler Perry’s name in it. Perry once again proved his drawing power as his latest TBS sitcom, Tyle…

In its second week, AMC’s period Western Hell On Wheels drew 3.8 million total viewers, 1.8 million in adults 18-49 and 25-54. That was down 14% in total viewers, 25% in 18-49 and 21% in 25-54 from the series’ solid premiere. Meanwhile, another freshman, Showtime’s Homeland, continues its steady growth. The conspiracy…

Bravo's The Real Housewives Of Atlanta drew 2.9 million viewers for its season premiere on Sunday to mark the most-watched season debut in the history of the Real Housewives franchise. In adults 18-49, the reality series averaged 1.9 million. It was up 20% from last season’s premiere in total viewers and 10% in…

AMC's newest series, period Western Hell On Wheels, was off to a strong start last night. It drew 4.4 million viewers and ranked as the cable network’s second-highest-rated series premiere behind mega-hit The Walking Dead, which opened with 5.3 million last fall, in total viewers as well as adults 18-49 and 25-54. Hell…

History has picked up Real Deal, a new reality series about the market for collectibles. The half-hour series, based on the British series Dickinson’s Real Deal, which is going into its eighth season on ITV, is like Deal Or No Deal with collectibles. Sellers take their items to a dealer who offers them a price. The…

CNN’s 9 PM anchor Piers Morgan Tonight is regularly pummeled in the ratings by its Fox News primetime counterparts. But in October, it also got beat by Fox News’ overnight program Red Eye, which airs at 3 AM. The talk show hosted by Greg Gutfeld averaged the largest audience in its five-year history (446,000) as well…